NSG boost to Hasina inner cordon
Handpicked Commandos To Train At Manesar
Jayanta Gupta | TNN
Kolkata: Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina may soon get the kind of security cover provided to top-notch VVIPs in India like Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. According to sources in Dhaka, a group of young people have been handpicked to receive training at the National Security Guard (NSG) set-up at Manesar, Haryana. These commandos, once trained, will form the inner cordon of Hasina’s security.
Officials in Delhi refused to comment on the matter but said the NSG does provide training to personnel from friendly countries.
What seems to have prompted this move is the growing concern over Hasina’s security. It has been revealed that on one occasion in 2009, the Bangladeshi PM had to spend a few hours without a single security personnel around her. Hasina then had to make a desperate call to the Bangladeshi president, before a security detail reached her official residence.
“In the last few months, Hasina has announced in her public meetings that there are elements within her own country who would like to overthrow her elected government. This would certainly involve an assasination attempt on her. India wants stability in the region and would like a democratically elected government to be in place in Bangladesh. An attempt on Hasina’s life may even take place when she is on official visits to other countries. It is only justified that India shows concern about her security,” an official in Delhi said.
The NSG imparts training in a number of fields, including VIP security. In fact, the set-up in Manesar is touted as a ‘centre of excellence’ in this field. During training, personnel develop physical and mental agility that includes unarmed combat skills. Training is imparted in providing mobile and static security, including access control, observation techniques, ground control and mobile security drill.
“Trainees also learn precision firing, sharp shooting and reflex training. The course encompasses defensive and evasive driving skills and building up awareness about IEDs and booby traps. More than development of physical skills, the course stresses on mental prowess. Unlike other units, the role of the inner cordon is to prevent any attempt on the VIP’s life. If need be, the bodyguards would have to take bullets meant for the person under their protection. A special kind of mental strength is required for this. Apart from the physical part of the training, there are theory classes involved, in which trainees learn about techniques used by assasins and bombers in history,” the official said.
It is already a known fact that India and Bangladesh have inked defence ties which involves training of Bangladesh Army personnel at the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Vairangte, Mizoram.
Defence officials said Bangladesh is keen to revamp its security network to tackle terror strikes, assasination bids and urban warfare scenarios. India has apparently agreed to provide all support to ensure peace and stability in the neighbourhood.
posted by kinetic 
